Caol Uno's UFC return likely to come vs. Spencer Fisher at UFC 99

UFC 99 appears to have its first bout, and it marks the return of an early UFC legend to the organization.

A source close to the negotiations today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that former UFC lightweight contender and recent DREAM fighter Caol Uno (27-11-4 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC) will take on UFC veteran Spencer Fisher (22-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) at the June event.

Verbal agreements are in place, and the fight is expected to be finalized shortly, the source said.

UFC 99 takes place June 13 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany.

Uno, 33, twice fought for UFC titles, but he came up short both times. In fact, his second attempt at winning a UFC belt ultimately forced the closing of an entire division.

Uno, a Shooto veteran who turned pro in 1996, first fought for the UFC 155-pound title (then dubbed the bantamweight title) in 2001, but he suffered a majority-decision loss to Jens Pulver. After going 3-1 in his next four fights, Uno then fought B.J. Penn in the finale of a four-man lightweight tournament that would crown the winner the organization’s new lightweight champion (Pulver had been stripped of the belt after a contract dispute). Uno and Penn fought to a disappointing draw at UFC 41, and the UFC disbanded the division for the next three years.

Uno fought once more for the UFC before he headed overseas to compete for K-1 HERO’S, which has since become DREAM. Uno is 10-5-1 since he left the UFC more than five years ago.

As we reported after UFC 94, UFC President Dana White recently expressed his interest in a number of Japanese fighters, including Uno.

“Caol Uno, I love him,” White said. “He’ll always be a part of the UFC. We’re talking to him.”

Meanwhile, Fisher has been working his way back into title contention with three victories in his past four fights (all of which took place in the UFC). In June the 32-year-old defeated rising prospect Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision before topping Shannon Gugerty via third-round triangle choke at UFC 90 in Chicago.

Fisher hasn’t fought since that October event and has been recovering from a minor surgery for an undisclosed injury.

For the latest on UFC 99, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

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